U.S. Highway 191 between milepost 54 and 86 was analyzed in 2013 to determine needs for wildlife crossing structures. Through the assessment, it was determined that several wildlife-vehicle collisions were occurring in this stretch of highway, especially in relation to the vehicle traffic. Such collisions negatively affect public safety and have deleterious effects on wildlife populations. Of the 32 miles of highway analyzed, several peaks in collisions showed up in the data. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah Department of Transportation, San Juan County, Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife and others collaborated and determined priorities for reducing wildlife vehicle collisions. Priority 1 was determined to be from mp 66-70, where nearly 900 of 2,300 (40 percent) vehicle collisions occurred between 2006 and 2013. The Priority 1 project area was completed in 2016 (WRI 3220). This phase of the project will close the gap in fencing from the prior project and the Devil's canyon fencing project that was completed in 2005. An additional 3.5 miles of highway will be fenced, one culvert from priority area 1 will be upgraded to a crossing structure, and two more structures will be installed. This project will tie two wildlife project together and improve crossing for migrating wildlife.

1) Improve public safety 2) Reduce wildlife mortality

If this project is not completed, the migration area near MP 67 will continue to be a problem for deer and motorists resulting in wildlife and potentiall human mortality from several factors including, wildlife starvation, fawn abandonment, and vehicle collisions from wildlife getting trapped on the highway or injured from crossing double cattleguards. The remaining area between wildlife fencing projects will continue to be hotspots for wildlife vehicle collision. As wildlife are killed on highways, the larger proportion of females are lost in the population, which can have compounding affects on a deer population.

The Deer Herd Unit #14 Management Plan (2015) identifies that deer populations need to be managed for a broad range of recreation including hunting and wildlife viewing. The current population is at 67% of objective. Highway mortality is identified in the plan as a limiting factor for wildlife. It is in the plan the DWR works with UDOT to construct highway fences, passage structures, and warning signs. The mule deer statewide plan has a population management goal which states, "expand and improve mule deer population throughout the state within the carrying capacity of available habitats and in consideration of other land uses." Strategy m specifically says to, Work with UDOT, universities, local conservation groups, and landowners to minimize highway mortality by identifying locations of high deer-vehicle collisions and constructing sufficient wildlife crossing structures and employing other mitigation options in those locations. " and Strategy N encourages evaluating crossing structures. The State of Utah Resource Management plan specifically identifies an objective of increase mule deer populations in the state and to provide high-quality hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities. It asks that government organizations work together to identify and conserve migration corridors in the state. The San Juan County resource management plan puts an emphasis on managing wildlife populations within population goals.

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Archaelogy will be completed/contracted as needed through the Utah Department of Transportation.

1) Fence both sides of hte highway from MP 62.6 to 66.1 2)Install wildlife escape ramps 3) Construct below grade deer crossings at MP 65.1 and 63.7 and install an elk crossing at MP 63.7 4) Install cattleguards and gates along access points UDOT plans to advertise this project for bid in April and plans to have a contractor working by June in order to remove the existing right-of-way fence and replace it with 8 foot tall Type G wildlife fence. Several wildlife escape ramps will be installed along the fenced section and will be placed at strategic locations. Three wildlife crossing structures will be installed. Two deer crossing structural plate arches structures with 10'-6" x 15'-7" openings will be places at MP 65.1 and MP 66.7. a 14'6" x 26' wide concrete elk crossing structure will be constructed at MP 63.7.

Monitoring of phase I was completed by Patricia Cramer to determine the success rate of the crossing structures. The phase I wildlife structure is successfully crossing more mule deer per day than any other structure studied by Ms. Cramer in three states. Over 19,000 movements were recorded in less than a year at the structure. Trail cameras will continue to be used at the wildlife crossing locations, as well as at any problem cattleguards, and the end of the fence to monitor wildlife movements with the project. UDOT also hires contractors to remove wildlife carcasses from this section of road. Data is collected by these contractors and maintained in a database to understand wildlife vehicle collisions hotspots. These data will be used to assess the number of wildlife vehicle collisions, and the locations of collision prior to and following project construction. The local maintenance crew will monitor the fencing to determine if there are any repairs needed.

Partners on this project include San Juan County, Utah Department of Transportation, Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife (SFW), and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. San Juan County has assisted with providing cattleguards, and he sherrif's department has participated to improve public safety during planning and construction. SFW has contributed funds to purchase double cattleguards as well and are proponent so this project to reduce wildlife vehicle collisions in the area. The dedicated hunter program was used in phase I to help remove right-of-way fencing.

This project will continue to be monitored and future phases will help to further reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in this area. Elk and mule deer populations will continue to be monitored in the area.

This project will reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in the area reducing wildlife mortality, particularly on females and fawns in the population. Recruitment in the area has been pretty low in the past few years as a result of a combination of heavy snow packs and intense summer drought. Wildlife mortality on the highway, or deer not having the ability to migrate due to a lack of available crossing areas is additive to population decline.

07/08/2019

12/06/2019

2020

A contractor was hired to perform the following: remove range fence and replace with Type G fence to prevent wildlife access to the highway, construct 8 escape ramps, install 3 wildlife crossing structures, and 3 double cattleguards. In order to install the crossings structures, highway by-passes were required at each crossing location and traffic was reduced to a single lane of travel. Highway fencing was put in place prior to the wildlife crossing structures being completed. As fall migration started, this resulted in several deer and elk stacking up along the fence.

Type G wildlife fence was installed from MP 62.6 to MP 66.81. Three wildlife structures were installed. Cross structural plate arches measuring 10'6"h x 15'7"w x ~114'l were installed at MP 65.1 and MP 66.7. A box culvert measuring 14'6"h x 26'w x 54'l was installed at MP 63.7 for the purposes of allowing elk crossing. Eight escape ramps were placed at various locations on the highway to allow for wildlife to exit the highway if needed. Three double cattleguards were put in place at MP 62.822 and MP 65.7 (2).

Deer and elk will continue to learn the wildlife crossing structures. Cameras put in place in spring 2020 showed elk, deer, and turkeys using the structures. Cow elk were documented successfully crossing at MP 63.7. GPS collared animals and cameras will continue to be put in place during the spring and fall migration to understand wildlife movements near the highway. Fencing will be checked by UDOT personnel to determine any maintenance needs.